Intro to Criminal Behavior

Question 1

Crime

Answer 1

Conduct or failure to act in violation of the law forbidding or commanding it, and for which a range of possible penalties exist upon conviction

Question 2

Just-world hypothesis

Answer 2

A belief that things do not happen to people without a reason that is closely related to their own actions.

Question 3

Theory verification

Answer 3

The process of theory testing

Question 4

Falsification

Answer 4

When a theory is not verified or any of its propositions are not verified.

Question 5

Model

Answer 5

A graphic representation of a theory or a concept, designed to enhance understanding.

Question 6

Conformity Perspective

Answer 6

• Views humans as basically “good” and strongly influenced by values and attitudes of society
• Sociologist Robert K. Merton, Strain Theory
• Robert Agnew, General Strain Theory (GST)

Question 7

Nonconformist Perspective

Answer 7

• Views humans as basically undisciplined with lack of self control
• Individual’s ties to social order are weak, and innate tendencies must be controlled by society
• Travis Hirschi, Social Control Theory
• Hirschi & Michael Gottfredson, General Theory of Crime (GTC); Also Self-Control Theory (SCT)

Question 8

Learning Perspective

Answer 8

• Views humans as born neutral, behavior is learned through social interactions
• Changes over the life span affects behavior
• Edwin H. Sutherland, Differential Association Theory
• Rotter & Bandura, Social Learning Theory
• Developmental Criminology

Question 9

Classical Theory (deterrence theory)

Answer 9

Emphasizes free will as the hallmark of human behavior; individuals are masters of their own fate, possessors of free will and freedom of choice.

Question 10

Positivist Theory

Answer 10

Aligned with determinism; does not deny free will, but says it cannot be the major explanation for our behavior. Antecedents, prior experiences/influences, determine how we will act.

Question 11

Strain Theory

Answer 11

• Robert K. Merton
• Humans are fundamentally conforming beings, strongly influenced by the values and attitudes of the society in which we live. Crime occurs when there is a perceived discrepancy between materialistic values of society and the availability of legitimate means to reach those goals.

Question 12

General Strain Theory

Answer 12

• Robert Agnew/Robert K. Merton
• Redefined “strain” as also events and conditions that are disliked by individuals. Inability to achieve one’s goals, but also the loss of something or someone of value, being treated poorly by others, etc.

Question 13

Social Control Theory

Answer 13

• Travis Hirschi
• Crime and delinquency occur when an individual’s ties to conventional order of things are weak or nonexistent.
• Crime happens when the socialization that holds one’s basic human nature in check is incomplete or faulty.

Question 14

General Theory of Crime (GTC) / Self-Control Theory (SCT)

Answer 14

• Travis Hirschi / Michael Gottfredson
• A deficit of self-control or self-regulation is the key factor in explaining crime.
• Is one of the more prominent theories in criminology today.

Question 15

Social Learning theory

Answer 15

• Edwin H. Sutherland

- Emphasizes the imitation of models and positive or negative reinforcement for one’s behavior

Question 16

Differential Association Theory

Answer 16

• Edwin H. Sutherland
• Criminal behavior is learned through social interactions with other people.
• Not the result of emotional disturbance, mental illness, etc. People learn to be criminals.

Question 17

Criminology

Answer 17

The multidisciplinary study of crime

Question 18

Sociological Criminology

Answer 18

• Influences from sociology and anthropology
• examines relationships of demographic and group variables to crime
• Focuses on the structure of society and the culture of groups, and how these influence criminal behavior

Question 19

Psychological Criminology

Answer 19

• Influences from psychology
• Focuses on individual criminal behavior, the science of the behavior, and emotional and mental processes of the criminal

Question 20

Psychiatric Criminology

Answer 20

• Influences psychiatry
• contemporary perspective examines the interplay between psychobiological determinates of behavior and the social environment
• traditional perspectives look for the unconscious and biological determinates of criminal behavior.

Question 21

Cognitive approach

Answer 21

An approach of psychological criminology that focuses on the criminal’s cognitions - attitudes, beliefs, values, and thoughts that are held about the social environment, interrelations, human nature, and themselves. Cognitions are often distorted in serious repeat offenders.

Question 22

Biological/neurological approach

Answer 22

An approach of psychological criminology focuses on the links between biology and human behavior. Studies the abnormality of the brain, deficits, traumatic brain injury, etc. and its affect of individuals behavior.

Question 23

Developmental approach

Answer 23

An approach of psychological criminology that examines the changes and influences across a person’s lifetime that may contribute to the formation of antisocial and criminal behavior.

Question 24

Trait approach

Answer 24

An approach of psychological criminology focuses on the traits or personality patterns that underly criminal behavior. A trait or disposition is a relatively stable and enduring tendency to behave in a particular way.

Question 25

UCR / NIBRS

Answer 25

• Uniform Crime Reports
• National Incident-Based Reporting System
• Official police reports that are forwarded to the FBI for publication on national crime stats.

Question 26

SR Studies

Answer 26

Self-Report studies, where members of a sample population are asked what offenses they have committed and how often

Question 27

Crime rate

Answer 27

the percentage of crime known to police, per 100,000 population.

Question 28

Clearance rate

Answer 28

An offense is cleared when at least one person is arrested , charged with the offense, and remanded to the court for prosecution, OR when something happens to the offender outside the control of the law (suicide, for example)

Question 29

Dark Figure

Answer 29

The overall number of criminal offenses that go undetected or are unknown by law enforcement agencies.

Question 30

Hierarchy Rule

Answer 30

This stipulates that when a number of offenses have been committed during a series, only the most serious offense is included in the UCR data.

Question 31

MTF

Answer 31

Monitoring The Future, survey on drug use using self-reporting methods

Question 32

NCVS

Answer 32

National Crime Victimization Survey Status Offenses

Question 33

IPV

Answer 33

Intimate Partner Violence

Question 34

Status Offenses

Answer 34

Behaviors that are only classified as criminal due to them being committed by juvenile’s; the behavior is only forbidden due to their age.

Question 35

Antisocial Behavior

Answer 35

The term used by psychologists and mental heath professionals to refer to the more serious habitual actions that violate personal rights, laws, and/or widely held social norms. Includes legal designations for crime, as well as violations of standards of society that are not officially designated crimes.